Fri. 4/20/12 8:34am
northguineahills:
A sick way to start the Friday. wicked...

Fri. 4/20/12 8:41am
the glowing one:
reminds me of the troupes of peruvian andes musicians that used to swarm our shopping streets for years trying to sell their CDs and panflutes...

Fri. 4/20/12 8:44am
common:
that's a great tron image

Fri. 4/20/12 8:46am
Ozzy Skateboard:
oh I like this one shaman

Fri. 4/20/12 8:47am
HotRod:
"Sacramental, religious and spiritual use of cannabis refers to cannabis used in a religious or spiritual context. Cannabis has an ancient history of ritual usage as an aid to trance and has been traditionally used in a religious context throughout the Old World.

Herodotus wrote about early ceremonial practices by the Scythians, thought to have occurred from the 5th to 2nd century BCE. Itinerant Hindu saints have used it in India for centuries, and in modern times it has been embraced by the Rastafari movement. Rastafarians are among the largest consumers of cannabis as part of their religious and spiritual rites." - en.wikipedia.org...

Fri. 4/20/12 8:47am
common:
is that a tron image?

Fri. 4/20/12 8:50am
Dave B:
HotRod, I have something to send to Scott and on my way to the post. Can you post the address here?

Fri. 4/20/12 8:54am
HotRod:
"The earliest known reports regarding the sacred status of cannabis in India come from the Atharva Veda estimated to have been written sometime around 2000 - 1400 BC, which mentions cannabis as one of the "five sacred plants".

There are three types of cannabis used in India. The first, bhang, consists of the leaves and plant tops of the marijuana plant. It is usually consumed as an infusion in beverage form, and varies in strength according to how much cannabis is used in the preparation. The second, ganja, consisting of the leaves and the plant tops, is smoked. The third, called charas or hashish, consists of the resinous buds and/or extracted resin from the leaves of the marijuana plant. Typically, bhang is the most commonly used form of cannabis in religious festivals."

Fri. 4/20/12 8:57am
HotRod:
"Cannabis or ganja is associated with worship of the Hindu deity Shiva, who is popularly believed to like the hemp plant. Bhang is offered to Shiva images, especially on Shivratri festival. This practice is particularly witnessed at the temples of Benares, Baidynath and Tarakeswar. Bhang is not only offered to Shiva, but also consumed by Shaivite yogis. Charas is smoked by some Shaivite devotees and cannabis itself is seen as a gift (prasad, or offering) to Shiva to aid in sadhana. Some of the wandering ascetics in India known as sadhus smoke charas out of a clay chillum.

During the Indian festival of Holi, people consume bhang which contains cannabis flowers. According to one description, when the amrita (elixir of life) was produced from the churning of the ocean by the devas and the asuras, Shiva created cannabis from his own body to purify the elixir (whence, for cannabis, the epithet angaja or "body-born"). Another account suggests that the cannabis plant sprang up when a drop of the elixir dropped on the ground. Thus, cannabis is used by sages due to association with elixir and Shiva. Wise drinking of bhang, according to religious rites, is believed to cleanse sins, unite one with Shiva and avoid the miseries of hell in the after-life. In contrast, foolish drinking of bhang without rites is considered a sin."